Juan Mata from Valencia to Arsenal for £18m ?
Mata is quick playmaker-forward, very tidy in the front third.
For Spain’s Under-21 champions, he did the things that Fabregas does for Arsenal.He made goals with perceptive passes.
But why would a young Spanish player want to join Arsenal just when Fabregas is leaving?
Looks like Manchester United’s £20m bid for Samir Nasri will force Wenger to give Nasri the contract he wants. Three or four weeks ago I heard that Nasri turned down a new deal worth £25m.
It will be hot hot hot at 1pm today when Andy Murray comes onto Centre Court to play Richard Gasquet in the last 16.
Can’t wait to see Rory McIlroy in the British Open.
Haye-Klitschko is a very difficult fight to call, so it’s too soon to have a bet on it.
I’ll come back to that one on Friday.
Watched a bit of Glastonbury on TV last night.
It’s a shame that festivals are televised and commodified but that’s the 21st century. Cameras change everything. Cameras commodify the audience right along with the music.
Fantastic synth solo on Summer Madness by Kool & the Gang. Very musical but really out there. Loved it. That tune is from Light of Worlds, a 1974 album on Polydor.
Their previous album Wild and Peaceful was fabulous and, for me, a ground-breaking statement in black music.
First time I saw Kool & the Gang they didn’t have a singer. Just seven players, with five sharing vocal duties.
Still my favourite funk band.
—Our Review section has been updated with links to Van Morrison and Zeroplane.